Foolishness
by DraconicRogue
Summary: Four years after her trip to the Labyrinth Sarah wishes herself back.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine, I just play with the characters.

* * *

Jareth rolled the crystal between his fingers and absently watched the light sparkle off the surface as he debated looking in on Sarah again. With a frustrated sigh he threw it against the wall and turned away, not bothering to watch it vanish upon impact with the wall. He stormed over to the window and looked out upon his kingdom and spoke to himself in a quiet growl.

"Look at you… mooning over a mortal girl like some lovesick idiot." Jareth let out a sigh and shook his head. "This foolishness has to stop. Get her out of your system if you must, but then you're done. No more thinking about her or dreaming about her or fantasizing about her." He nodded his approval of this plan and climbed into the windowsill to ponder a course of action, pulling out his crystal and rolling it over his fingers again as he thought.

He couldn't figure out what it was about Sarah that mesmerized him so much to begin with. She was just a spoiled, arrogant little girl. _But beautiful_, he thought to himself. _And innocent._

Jareth particularly liked her innocence. That childlike giddiness she had as she discovered something new within his Labyrinth, or when she looked around his corrupt ballroom, fascinated him. The way she blushed and struggled to leave his embrace when he tried to kiss her intrigued him. One of his favorite fantasies to have about Sarah was imagining how she'd blush when he introduced her to pleasures of the flesh. Jareth shuddered in pleasure as he let his mind stray for a moment to just how far down her body her flush would go, and then forced himself back to reality before he let his mind stray too far.

Her false confidence was another thing about her that Jareth found particularly captivating. She may have admitted that he frightened her in the end but she put up a delightful show of confidence the rest of the time. _Enough to tell me that my Labyrinth was a 'piece of cake,'_ he thought with a chuckle.

With a vow to himself that he would rid her of his system for good, Jareth sought out her image in the crystal and set about getting her to call on him. He watched her in the darkness of her room as she slept and whispered himself into her dreams. Though he couldn't hear her through the crystal, Jareth smiled as he saw Sarah smile faintly and whisper his name in her sleep. It wasn't long after that he had himself firmly ensconced inside her mind, a stray memory that wouldn't let itself be exorcised.

* * *

The next morning Sarah woke not remembering her dreams but feeling well rested. She stretched and rolled out of bed and began to make her way down the hall to the bathroom for her morning shower. On her way she passed Toby who beamed at her and jubilantly reminded her that he was turning five today. 

"Ha- Happy Birthday, Toby" Sarah yawned out. "Are you looking forward to the party later?"

"Uh-huh! Pwesents!" Toby said, half bouncing, half dancing back into his room.

Sarah smiled and finished her trek into the bathroom. She turned on the water and got her things together as she waited for the water to heat up, then finally stepped under the spray.

Sarah always looked forward to her morning shower because she felt it was the most relaxing part of her day; the solitude she had to relax under the rhythmic pulse of the water and recall her dreams from the night before. She soaped up her hair and tried to remember her dreams from the night before but couldn't seem to bring much to the front of her mind. She remembered music and started to hum the tune she remembered.

"I remember dancing…" she murmured to herself as she rinsed the soap out of her hair and tried to find her loofa. She finally found it and poured some soap on, humming the music again trying to remember where she'd heard that tune before. When she realized she dropped the loofa and had to grab onto the wall to steady herself. She hadn't thought of the Labyrinth or of Jareth in almost four years and the sudden remembrance made her feel faint.

The rest of the day, try as she might, Sarah was unable to get Jareth out of her mind. She thought that this might not have been so terrible if she'd also been able to focus a bit on the friends she made in the Labyrinth. But no matter how hard she tried to think of Hoggle, Didymus, or Ludo, her thoughts kept going straight back to Jareth.

* * *

Jareth smirked and tossed the crystal away after he watched Sarah try to shake thoughts of him out of her head later that afternoon. There was a new bounce in his step as he prowled through the Labyrinth, making sure his traps to deter the young woman running his Labyrinth for her infant son were in place and fool proof. 

"You'll soon learn exactly what the last four years have been like for me, Sarah," he said to the vanishing crystal.

Jareth continued to make his way through the twisting paths, making his way towards his new adversary. Even this silly, inept woman that had barely made it through the outer walls in seven hours couldn't shake his delighted mood. As he spotted the young redhead he shook his head, _Such a pity these mortals don't put regulations on who can breed. Silly children like this wind up with children and then wish them away when they realize how difficult it is to be a parent._ He sighed, _Fortunate for us though, I suppose_, and approached her from behind with a feral grin.

* * *

Toby's birthday party was underway and Sarah still hadn't managed to stop thinking about her time in the Labyrinth. She was beginning to get irritated with herself. 

"Get a grip on yourself, Sarah" she mumbled to her reflection as she splashed water over her face and toweled it off. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and contemplated herself in the mirror. She had changed since she left the Labyrinth four years ago, she noted as she turned to look at herself sideways, filled out and put on some weight as well.

_Not bad,_ she thought, smoothing her hands over her breasts and down her abdomen. _You can tell that I never say no to chocolate,_ she added to herself with a smile. _But, overall…_ Sarah gave herself another look over and nodded her head in approval.

"I wonder if…" She trailed off and shook her head, giving herself a stern look in the mirror. "None of that. It doesn't matter what _he'd_ think. You're not even thinking of him." She glared at herself in the mirror again before added in a warning tone, "Are you, Sarah?"

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and made her way out of the bathroom. _Merlin, now I'm talking to myself. I'm crazy.  
_

Sarah walked over to Toby and ruffled his hair, ignoring Karen's shrill voice whining about how long she'd been gone. "You're going to make sure to open the present from your favorite sister first, right?" she asked with a playful grin.

"Sawah," Toby began in all the seriousness a five-year-old can muster, giving Sarah a look like she'd lost her mind, "you'we my only sistew."

Sarah laughed and gave Toby a hug. "I know, I know. I was just teasing you, Toby." Noticing the skeptical look he gave her, she pushed the gift from her over to him. "Here, it's time for the best part of the party."

Distracted, Toby started tearing into his gifts.

* * *

That night Jareth wove himself and the Labyrinth into Sarah's dreams again. He allowed her glimpses of things she hadn't seen on her journey that he knew would impress her. The majesty of his castle and areas that were not visited by the goblins, a glade that was laid out like a giant chessboard, a view of a spectacular sunset from the balcony off his chambers, and some of the other amazing creatures that inhabited the Underground were only a taste. 

"Soon," he whispered as he watched her wake the next morning. "Soon you'll wish you were still here." Jareth grinned predatorily, "And then you'll be mine."

Jareth flung the crystal away and watched it melt into the wall before rising from the throne and heading to his own bed. It had been a long night first dealing with the creation of a new goblin and then weaving dreams for Sarah. He shook his head at himself when he realized he was letting Sarah exhaust him again and crawled into bed.

* * *

Sarah pulled the small red book off her shelf and looked it over apprehensively. It had been four years since she held this particular book and months since she had been able to read for pleasure at all. Even though she was still only working on her general education requirements in school, college was still exhausting for her and left her with little time for her own pursuits. Between classes, homework, theater productions, and going out with the new friends she had made from theater, she often found herself surprised that she was able to find time to sleep and eat. But now that she was on summer break, she vowed that she would find time to enjoy the things she could do alone. 

She hesitated as she turned the book over in her hands. As much as she wanted to read a fairytale, Sarah knew that this wasn't just some fairytale. She'd actually lived it after she carelessly wished away her brother, had met the Goblin King and traversed his Labyrinth, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to add to her newfound obsession by reading the story.

"Well," Sarah sighed, "what harm ever came from reading a book?" She took the book and headed out into the late morning sunshine and started to read.

Two hours later Sarah closed the book and looked around, half expecting to see a white barn owl somewhere nearby and almost disappointed when she didn't see one.

"Oh, stop being silly, Sarah," she scolded herself. "It's not like you want to be back there."

_Or do you,_ a small voice at the back of her head asked in a mocking voice.

"No, I do not." But even she could hear the lack of conviction in her voice.

The voice didn't say anything else to her but Sarah felt the smug look it was giving her, or would be giving her, if a voice inside her head had a face.

"Well, what do you want me to do?" Sarah mumbled irritably. "Wish myself there? That would be such a brilliant idea. Just go have a nice chat with my 'old friend' the Goblin King and see how things have been since I got through his Labyrinth. I'm sure the conversation would be delightful."

_It's not his anger you're afraid of._ The voice whispered, apparently immune to sarcasm. _You're afraid he wouldn't want you there. That he'd send you home when he realized it was you. Or worse, that he wouldn't even come for you.  
_

"That's not true!" Sarah cried softly, glaring at the book as if the voice was coming from it. "That is absolutely not true."

_Then do it. Wish yourself into the Labyrinth. See if it works since you're not afraid_.

Sarah pulled her t-shirt tighter around her and shivered. Though it was June she felt suddenly chilled and she wasn't sure if it came more from the sudden breeze or the thought that she was actually tempted to try wishing herself into the Labyrinth.

"I… I…" she began. The wind picked up.

"…don't have to prove anything to you." She finished stubbornly.

_Chicken,_ the voice taunted. _Admit it, you're afraid he won't come and that he won't want you._

"Fine. Fine. I'll prove it. And it won't matter anyway because I defeated him and he has no power over me." Sarah stood up and glared around defiantly. She glowered down at the book she still had in her hand and spoke firmly to it. "I wish Jareth would come and take me back to the Labyrinth, right now."

The wind died down and everything seemed eerily silent. _Much different from when I wished Toby away, _Sarah thought, confident though disappointed that Jareth hadn't come back. "Told you it wouldn't work," she muttered to herself and started back for the house. She'd barely taken two steps when she heard the low, cold voice.

"Well, hello, Sarah."


	2. Chapter 2

Sarah whirled around just as Jareth pushed himself away from the tree and stalked towards her, a predatory smile gracing his face.

"What?" Jareth asked, amusement lacing his voice. "Goblin's got your tongue?"

"I… it… it wasn't supposed to work!" Sarah spluttered, finally finding her voice. "You're not supposed to be here. You have no power over me!"

The smile slid off Jareth's face at her last six words and he took another step towards her, making her back up against the side of the house.

"Oh, but I do have power over you, Sarah," he began in a darkly menacing voice, leaning in towards her. "More power than you can begin to imagine."

Sarah squirmed under his intense scrutiny and tried to slip to the side of him and into the house knowing it wouldn't do any good to keep him out, but hoping he wouldn't be able to take her away if she were with someone else.

Jareth's arm came down and neatly trapped her between him and the wall. "Now, now… no running off, Sarah." Jareth's voice was dripping with sardonic amusement. "I'm supposed to bring you back to the Labyrinth, remember? Just. As. You. Wished."

Sarah paled and opened her mouth to scream for her father. Or Karen, or anyone who could hear her really, it didn't matter at the moment. The scream never came though. Her breath was knocked out of her as Jareth's magic transported them both into the castle beyond the Goblin City.

* * *

Sarah stood and looked around a place she'd thought she'd never see again. It was brighter with the afternoon sunshine coming through the south windows but just as dirty and overrun with goblins. As Jareth took her elbow and led her away, she stepped carefully around rotting fruit and milling goblins.

Jareth paid little mind to the goblins underfoot and kicked away those stupid enough to get in his way as he led Sarah out of the throne room.

"This is the area of the castle that the goblins are allowed in, the area that's reserved for the few people that actually do make it this far through the Labyrinth. Not that there's many." He turned to give Sarah a withering look; though under it all there was the slightest hint of pride. "Just so you know, of those that have gotten this far, you are the only one that has ever gotten back out."

"Aren't I special?" Sarah murmured sarcastically trying to tug her arm out of his grasp.

Jareth chose to ignore that and tightened his hold on her arm. "I'll show you to your room first. Someone will fetch you for dinner and then you can have the tour afterwards. Sometime during the evening I'll be expecting to hear just why it is you wished yourself away."

"I didn't wish myself _away_," Sarah started hotly. "I just wished myself here. And I didn't even really mean it! I wa-"

But Sarah didn't get to finish as Jareth cut in smoothly, his mocking tone cutting her off mid-word. "Tsk, tsk, Sarah. You do tend to say a lot of things you don't "really mean," don't you? Do you ever actually think before you open your mouth?"

Sarah snapped her mouth shut, making her teeth click together, and stuck her nose in the air, refusing to rise to his bait.

Jareth chuckled and turned them so he had her pressed against the door, his body putting just the slightest amount of pressure against hers. "Don't think for a moment that I'll let you ignore me so easily, Sarah."

Sarah opened her mouth to make a retort but didn't have time before Jareth lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. He kept it chaste but firm and pulled away quickly before she had time to react.

"I'll see you at dinner, Sarah," he said with a smirk, and was halfway down the hall before Sarah could think again.

Sarah blinked at Jareth's retreating back for a few moments before grasping blindly behind her for the doorknob and hurrying into what was to be her room. She rested her head against the closed door and looked around, not conscious of her hand going to her mouth.

"What on Earth was that supposed to be!" She cried out to the empty room, pushing herself off the door and storming across the room. "Why would he kiss me?"

Lost in her thoughts and confusion, Sarah missed the clock on the dresser that would have let her know dinner would be in an hour.

* * *

Jareth watched though a crystal as Sarah paced the room then dropped onto the bed lost in thought and continued to unconsciously touch her lips. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and as the crystal vanished he let out a gleeful laugh.

"This just may wind up being easier than I thought," he crowed merrily.

* * *

Sarah started from her thoughts as a sharp rapping cut through the room. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she stalked to the door and swung it open intent on telling Jareth off for kissing her.

"If you think you can just-" Sarah began angrily, but paused in confusion when she didn't see anyone at the door. "Well, that's strange… I could have sworn…"

From a spot near her knees Sarah heard a noise and looked down. A short, squat goblin was rocking back and forth on it's heels clearly expecting to be kicked by the irritated woman in front of him.

"I'm s'posed ta bring ya to dinner," it said gruffly, looking shiftily from Sarah to the hallway and back as if it were trying to plan the nearest escape route.

"Dinner?" Sarah squeaked, having forgotten all about the time. "You mean that's now?"

"Yeah, now," the goblin grunted. "Come on."

"But I'm not ready!" Sarah cried, panicked. _I haven't even thought about what I should say to him to put him in his place. What if he tries to kiss me again? …What if he doesn't? No! Stop that. You don't want him to kiss you again, Sarah._

"Yer not actually thinkin' of makin' the King wait, are ya?" the goblin said, wide-eyed with fear. "S'not a good idea, lady."

Sarah glared down her nose at the tiny goblin at the door. "If I want to make Jareth wait, he'll wait," came the haughty reply.

At that the goblin took a look down the hall, squeaked and ran off in the opposite direction. Sarah leaned out and peered down the hallway after him and shook her head in exasperation.

"Stupid goblin," she muttered.

"Not as stupid as someone who continues to defy me."

Sarah jumped and spun around, shocked to see Jareth lounging against the doorframe.

"You haven't even changed for dinner, Sarah," Jareth began and leaned in towards her with a suggestive smile, taking a strand of hair and winding it around his finger. "Perhaps you were hoping I'd come help you…"

"Don't flatter yourself," Sarah snarled, pushing him away and walking out into the corridor. "There's no reason for me to change anyway, what I have on is perfectly fine."

"If you insist I suppose I can indulge you… this time." Jareth took her elbow and led her down the corridor towards the dining room, ignoring her when she tried to pull away. "Should I take this to mean you'd like me to escort you personally instead of sending a goblin to fetch you?"

"No," Sarah began through gritted teeth. "You can take it to mean that I want you to send me home. Now."

Jareth turned to step in front of her and continued walking backwards. "You want our visit to be over so soon?" He started, putting his hand over his heart as if he were in pain, his voice dripping with mock disbelief.

Sarah frowned and stopped walking, regarding him cautiously. "I don't know why you would actually care. I can't imagine you would actually want me here."

Jareth advanced again, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Would that matter to you, Sarah? Whether or not I wanted you here?"

"No," she said weakly. She felt pinned under his gaze, trapped.

Jareth smiled, closing in on her. "No?"

Sarah was sure he saw right through her lie and tried to muster up her defenses. "No," she said more firmly, holding herself proudly, hoping her body language would convey a feeling she didn't feel.

Jareth leaned in and Sarah felt her knees go weak. This was it, he was going to kiss her again. She tried to will herself to push him away but couldn't find the strength to lift her arms. She was disarmed and helpless when he looked at her like that, and she hated herself for it.

Just when Sarah was sure he was going to actually kiss her, Jareth turned his head and brushed his lips against her ear. "Such a pity," he whispered huskily and pulled away, turning and guiding them into the dining room.


	3. Chapter 3

To Sarah it seemed that dinner was flashing by in a series of snapshots. Jareth pushing her chair in for her after she was seated flashed to goblins setting dishes out on the table, which flashed to a plate half-empty and a glance up at Jareth who didn't seem to remember she was there. Mutinous thoughts ran through Sarah's head at that the thought that he'd just forget her and she considered flinging a spoonful of vegetables at him to see if she'd get a reaction.

Sarah looked up again and wondered if Jareth could read her mind. He was gazing intently at her with a mischievous smile curving his lips that screamed to Sarah that he knew exactly what was on her mind. Sarah blushed and looked back down at her plate praying that he wouldn't say anything and would just let it slide. She should have known that she wouldn't be so lucky.

"Are you enjoying dinner, Sarah?" Jareth asked, his eyes never leaving her face and his voice tinted with his amusement.

Forcing herself to remain calm and not behave like a child, Sarah looked up and smiled sweetly at Jareth, deliberately baiting him. "I'm enjoying everything but the company," she replied cheerfully.

"You didn't seem to mind my company outside your room earlier," Jareth observed with a smirk.

Sarah felt herself flush, though if it was more from anger or knowing he was right she couldn't say. "About that," Sarah started hotly. "Just who do you think you are, kissing someone without their permission?"

"I didn't hear you complaining," Jareth's smirk deepened.

"You didn't give me a chance!" Sarah cried out. "You were halfway down the hall before I even realized what happened!"

Jareth drank in the way Sarah looked in that moment, her eyes flashing in anger and her cheeks stained pink, her indignant anger rolling off her in waves. She had never looked more beautiful to him than she did in that moment. In the blink of an eye he was at her side.

"Then perhaps I should give you the chance this time," he murmured softly before his lips descended upon hers.

He kissed her softly but passionately, reigning in his desire so she knew how much he wanted her but didn't risk burning her with the intensity of the fire within him. He smiled inwardly when Sarah didn't immediately push him away and let his lips move slowly over hers, reveling in the feel of her. Slowly, before Sarah could come to her senses and push him away, he pulled back letting his hand caress her cheek before it dropped to his side. Jareth almost moaned aloud from the desire he felt as he looked at her then. Sarah's eyes were half closed and her lips were slightly parted, her breath coming in short pants.

As her hand came up to touch her lips softly her eyes flew open and she stared at him in shock. Desire and anger warred for supremacy in her eyes as her mind raced for the words that she hoped would put him in his place.

"I did _not_ tell you that you could kiss me!" Sarah roared, her voice growing into a shout by the time she was finished.

"A minor technicality," Jareth responded, waving it off dismissively. He was sure that Sarah was about to throw herself at him and attempt to throttle him and he tried to push her closer to that option by smirking at her and adding in a sly tone, "Besides, you liked it."

Sarah spluttered at that and her eyes sparkled with her fury. "How dare you presume," Sarah hissed, shaking in her anger, her voice low and dangerous now, "to tell me how I feel."

Jareth was sure that she was about to launch out of her seat at him and sat there calmly which only infuriated her more.

With a sound of disgusted rage Sarah threw her napkin in his face and stormed from the room, not even paying attention as the door slammed into a goblin that was trying to eavesdrop on the King and his guest. She stalked back in the direction of her room and howled in frustration ten minutes later when she realized she was helplessly lost.

Jareth, on the other hand, tugged the napkin into his lap and watched her retreating form more intrigued than ever with the only person to ever defeat his Labyrinth.

* * *

Sarah finally found her room twenty minutes later and paced around it in a high temper until she'd exhausted herself. She flung herself into the window seat and pressed her forehead against the cool glass, looking out into the sunset that was fading behind the Labyrinth.

"I wonder if anyone's noticed I'm missing yet," she murmured dejectedly. "Not that there'd be anything they could do if they did. It's not like they'd know the words to get here or would be able to get out even if they did."

Sarah stared off into the distance letting her mind go blank until the sky was completely dark. Somehow she felt more comfortable thinking about Jareth in the dark, where no one would be able to see her thinking of him and where she felt she could more easily deny letting her mind wander off into forbidden territory.

_Why did he kiss me?_ she wondered. Sarah blushed at her next thought, glad that no one would be able to see her guilty face. _It was good. Very good._ She stifled a giggle and then got stern with herself again. _But it's not going to happen again. At least, not until I know what it is he wants. He's tried this,_ Sarah blushed harder, _seducing thing before and it was only because he wanted me to forget Toby. So, what is it that he wants now?_

Sarah sighed, stood up, and started pacing again. She couldn't make sense of her mixed emotions towards the Goblin King. She didn't exactly _hate_ him but she didn't exactly like him either. She certainly didn't like him enough to go around kissing him. And yet, for some reason, she couldn't get her mind off of his kiss and what it might have been like if he'd kept going. She forcefully pulled her mind away from the dangerous waters it was approaching and back onto track. No matter what else she might possibly feel for Jareth one thing was certain, she didn't trust him. And she definitely didn't trust his motives for wanting her here and kissing her.

Eventually, Sarah dropped off onto the bed too tired to bother changing into a nightgown and fell into a fitful sleep where she dreamt of being chased through the Labyrinth by an amorous Jareth who was riding on Ludo's back, while Hoggle and Sir Didymus cheered him on.

* * *

Jareth fought the urge to go after Sarah and kiss her breathless again and instead retired to his room for the evening. He chuckled to himself as he heard her yell of frustration when she got lost and shook his head at her stubbornness.

"I would guide you back if you'd only ask it of me," he murmured softly as he walked back to his rooms.

Once in his room he conjured up a crystal and watched her pace her room, ranting to the walls, ceiling, bed hangings, and anything else that would listen about him and his perceived lack of manners and smirked to himself.

"The lady dost protest too much…" he quoted and grinned widely as her blush was projected clearly into his crystal.

He wondered exactly what it was she was thinking that would make her blush like that and look so uncomfortable. He hoped it was him.

"Gods, she is beautiful," he breathed as Sarah took to pacing again. "Stubborn and aggravating and infuriating, but beautiful."

As Sarah drifted off into a fitful sleep, Jareth tossed the crystal away and prepared for bed himself.

As he lay awake, staring at the moon glide slowly past his window, he thought of Sarah and what he felt for her. He was intrigued by her both because she defeated him at his own game and because she wouldn't submit to him so easily. He mulled that over for a moment. He was angry at first when she rejected him. He wasn't used to having anyone throw his affection back at him and he was surprised at how much it had stung him. But as he had thought about it more he realized that Sarah was just as drawn to him as he was to her. She'd shown it in the ballroom when she didn't have to think about finding her brother and he'd seen it in her eyes that she was swayed by his words during their final confrontation. After that his interest in her was piqued again. What would make her refuse him when he could offer her everything she'd ever wanted?

He was also attracted to her, though he knew that even a blind man could see that. What about her was there _not_ to be attracted to? Jareth smirked to himself as he continued to ponder. He'd meant it when he'd said that they were well matched and he still believed it. They were so alike and yet so different, her innocent-cruelty balanced out and attracted his calculating-cruelty, her sharp wit and temper blended perfectly with his own, and he felt giddy at the envy they invoked from the other dancers when they danced together at his ball, her darkness contrasting so well against his fairness.

Beyond that Jareth was loathe to go. He liked her and he certainly wanted to take her to his bed, but he firmly refused to allow himself to believe his emotions ran any further than that. He had offered her a place at his side once and she had refused him, it was an offer he didn't intend to make again.

Lost in his thoughts, Jareth didn't even realize he'd fallen asleep. He dreamt of Sarah locked up in a tower and refusing to come out and join him until he had proved his love for her. He sang her songs of her love and did everything she asked but it was never enough and she cruelly spurned every attempt he made until he thought his heart would break.


	4. Chapter 4

Jareth woke early the next morning and pondered the best way to go about seducing Sarah. While he enjoyed catching Sarah off guard with his kisses he doubted the strategy would help him woo Sarah into his bed. She'd need to be teased and challenged and courted into bed, not just unceremoniously dumped there.

_Besides,_ Jareth thought to himself as he swung his legs out of bed and prowled towards the bathroom, intent on a hot bath before he got dressed, _I'm not some barbarian that needs to drag a woman kicking and screaming to my bed. I'll have her begging me to touch her by the time I'm through._

Smirking to himself, Jareth turned the taps until the water was just the right temperature, started filling the bath, and slipped into the water while it filled up around him. He sighed in contentment as the hot water rose higher around him and leaned back against the cool porcelain of the tub to further contemplate how best to seduce Sarah.

"She doesn't exactly trust me," he mused quietly, "so I'll have to work on gaining her trust. And then actually make her look forward to spending time with me. And, of course, make her admit that she's attracted to me." He stared out a window and watched some birds fly past singing merrily and wondered how exactly he would manage to accomplish all that. He sighed heavily and started working shampoo into his hair, half-formed ideas floating around in his head all trying to take root and flourish.

Twenty minutes later he stood in front of his wardrobe with a towel slung low around his waist as he pondered what to wear that would impress Sarah the most. He passed up more fancy clothing that would certainly alert her that something was going on and then bypassed some of the more threatening outfits he would chose to impress and intimidate someone running his Labyrinth. Finally, he settled on a pair of his more casual black tights and a crimson silk blouse that would give her a peek of what he looked like underneath without being so blatantly exposed to her. To top it off he pulled on a pair of black leather gloves and tugged the lace of his cuffs over them.

"There," Jareth said with a satisfied grin as he looked in the mirror. "Not too obvious at all." And with a slight bounce in his step he strode out of his room in search of Sarah.

* * *

Sarah rolled over with a groan and pulled a pillow over her head as sunlight fell across her eyes interrupting her sleep. Seconds later she shot upright in bed with the realization that sunlight never hit her bed in the morning, neither in her room at home nor in her dorm room. It took several moments before Sarah could push down the panic of not knowing where she was before she remembered the events of the day before and recalled that she was in a bedroom somewhere in Jareth's castle. With a relieved sigh Sarah flopped back onto the pillows and laid staring up at the ceiling.

"Not that knowing I'm back in the Underground is much of a comfort…" Sarah grumbled. "Though I suppose it's better than not knowing where I am at all."

Figuring that it would be pointless to try and go back to sleep after the adrenaline rush, Sarah stretched and crawled out of bed. She looked around the room, still a bit disoriented by her surroundings and not really knowing where anything was since she'd spent the day before too lost in thought or too busy ranting about Jareth to actually look around the room she'd be living in.

"Four doors…" Sarah murmured quietly to herself. She turned to the one she'd come through the night before. "That one leads out to the corridor." There were two more doors across from the foot of her bed and one other to the left of her headboard. She turned to the one next to her bed. "Let's see where this one goes first."

Sarah cautiously turned the knob and opened the door, glad when it swung open soundlessly, though dazzled by the amount of light that streamed through the doorway. Shielding her eyes, Sarah stepped inside and waited for her eyes to adjust to the glare. There were no other doors in this room with the exception of large French doors set in a wall of windows that led out onto a balcony. Sarah slowly made her way over and peered out, the sight took her breath away. Laid out before her was the Labyrinth, shimmering in the bright morning sunlight. She stood for a while taking in the sight below her before she reluctantly turned and went back inside.

Sarah peered around the room and noted that it was set up as a sitting room. There was a comfortable-looking sofa set in the center of the room that half looked out the windows and half faced a massive fireplace set into the wall across from the door. Shelves filled with books and various knick-knacks lined the wall across from her and Sarah wandered over, impressed to find several of her favorite plays and novels on the shelves. Rich tapestries hung on the wall that was shared with her room and Sarah thought they might depict bits and pieces of the Labyrinth's history and made a mental note to ask Jareth about it later.

At the thought of Jareth, Sarah scurried out of the room and renewed her effort to find the bathroom. Though she hoped that he would have enough decency to leave her be until she was dressed, she didn't put it past him to just let himself in and make good on his threat to "help" her change.

Sarah turned to the other two doors in her room and debated which to choose. After a moments deliberation she chose the door on the right. The door swung in to reveal a closet full of clothes in every shade imaginable. Sarah hesitated on the threshold and wondered why Jareth would have a closet full of dresses and a room full of her favorite books waiting for her.

"It's like he expected this to happen," Sarah said breathlessly. "Like he knew that I would wind up here again."

_Or hoped for it,_ whispered a voice in the back of Sarah's head.

"Oh, shut up, you!" Sarah snapped. "You're the reason we're here in the first place."

Sarah turned on her heel and closed the door behind her and walked through the door on the left. Towels and washcloths were already laid out for her and someone had seen to it that the bathroom was equipped with a new toothbrush and hairbrush. Sarah, however, glanced around a bit mistrustfully and felt that this confirmed her suspicions that Jareth had planned for her to return. She glanced around and made sure the door she came in through was the only door in the bathroom and was pleased when she found it had a lock. Locking the door behind her, she settled in for a quick bath.

A short while later Sarah stood in the middle of the closet toweling her hair dry and wondering what she was going to wear. All the dresses in the closet seemed entirely too fancy to be wearing and Sarah dug around until she found something that was fairly plain and modest. Satisfied with her find, Sarah pulled out a dark green dress, got dressed and left her room to find her way to dining room.

* * *

Sarah saw Jareth just as he turned the corner and started heading down the corridor that led to her room and fought with herself until she was able to resist the urge to bolt in the opposite direction.

_I'll have to face him sometime_, Sarah mused to herself. _It is his castle after all._ Squaring her shoulders and telling herself that she wouldn't let him get away with trying to kiss her again, she made her way down the hall towards Jareth.

Jareth smiled to himself as Sarah made her way towards him, glad that his advances the night before didn't make her timid around him today. Composing his face in a mask of polite disinterest he extended his hand to Sarah.

"Good morning, Sarah. I hope you slept well."

Sarah hesitated for the slightest moment before putting her hand in his, determined to prove, whether to him or herself she didn't know, that he didn't intimidate her. She felt her breath catch as he wrapped his fingers around hers and brought her hand to his lips, never taking his eyes off hers, and had to fight for the self-control to speak.

"I slept just fine until I woke up and didn't know where I was."

Jareth smiled at her in a way that made her feel as if her stomach dropped out and purred in a voice so low Sarah had to lean in to hear him, "Perhaps you'd like some company tonight so that you can wake to someone familiar…"

Sarah's cheeks flamed and she jerked away as she tried to tug her hand from Jareth's. "I most certainly do not need _company_!" she hissed. "What I need is to go home."

Jareth refused to relinquish her hand and instead started walking them down the hallway, a reluctant Sarah following alongside him. "What's said is said, Sarah. You wished to be here and you are my… guest… until I decide to let you go home." He looked over and gave Sarah a sly smile, knowing it would infuriate her more and enjoying the way her anger enhanced her blush, and added, "_If_ I decide to let you go home, that is."

"Oh!" Sarah growled in frustration, stamping her foot and almost tripping since they hadn't stopped walking. "I cannot believe that at one point I had actually had a crush on you!"

In seconds Sarah went from flushed with anger to pale as a sheet as she realized what she had let slip in her anger. Her free hand flew to her mouth and her eyes went wide as she turned to see Jareth looking down at her with a triumphant smirk on his face.


	5. Chapter 5

Jareth refused to let go of Sarah's hand as she struggled to get away from him and instead slowly pulled her closer to him.

"So, my dear Sarah," he began in a low voice, dark with amusement but lacking its normal mocking ring. "What's this about a crush?"

"Oh, just let me go! It's nothing!" Sarah cried, still trying to wrench her hand out of Jareth's grasp. "It was ages ago and it doesn't mean a thing now!"

"Come, come, Sarah," Jareth chuckled jovially. "It may mean nothing to you anymore but this is the first I'm hearing of it and I'm quite interested to hear all about it." Instead of releasing her he pulled her to his side and finished their short trek to the dining room where he deposited her in the seat next to him, grinning widely at her angry glare.

"There's nothing to tell," Sarah stated sulkily.

Jareth leaned in, his smile widening. "Nothing at all?"

"No. Nothing at all."

"Then you won't mind if I decide to fill in the blanks for myself," Jareth said cheerfully and started a thread that he was sure went beyond what Sarah actually felt. "After you left the Labyrinth you went back to your boring life of school, chores, and taking care of your screaming brother, all under the watchful eye of your wicked stepmother. It didn't take long before you were lost in your daydreams again and a certain, familiar, dashing Goblin King came to mind."

Jareth paused and gave her a mischievous look before continuing. "However, no longer was he your adversary, someone you had to best so that you could win back the child you so hastily wished away; and you soon started remembering him as the man you'd danced with in a crystal ballroom when you felt as though you hadn't a care in the world."

Jareth looked over and noticed that Sarah had put her head in her hands and was shaking her head slowly as if to stop him from going on; he could just the bright stain of a flush on her cheeks through her fingers. "As the weeks of replaying this particular scene over and over in your mind went on you started altering things here and there until you no longer had to leave his embrace to go on and try to find what you vaguely remembered that you were looking for. Instead, you stayed there where you felt you belonged, content to dance the night away. And what started out as a gentle kiss slowly turned more passionate until you felt as though you were burning from the inside out and you found yourself wondering what it would be like if he would just –"

"Stop!" Sarah said loudly, looking up from her hands, her voice firm and ringing with her rising irritation. "Just stop."

"Mmm… I don't think that's how the story goes, Sarah. Why would _anyone_ want to stop there?" Jareth shot a teasing smirk at her and resisted the urge to lean across the table and kiss her scowl away.

"I don't want to hear any more of your demented story or let you carry on inflating your already overly large ego by actually believing something so ridiculous," Sarah shot back. "The truth of it was that I simply found you attractive and developed a crush on your image." It wasn't completely true, but Sarah wasn't about to let him know how close to the mark he had gotten with his thread.

Jareth shrugged and waved off her explanation. "I like my version of events much better. We should stick to that story instead."

Sarah spluttered over the drink of water she was taking and gaped at him in shock. "We? Oh no. No, no, no. You just go on thinking whatever you want to in that twisted mind of yours if that'll make you happy. But if anyone were ever to ask, it's either the truth as told by me or I deny ever saying such a foolish thing."

"Oh, Sarah," Jareth began in a mocking voice. "Why do you insist on breaking my heart with your cruelty?"

"Oh, Jareth," Sarah taunted back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why do you insist on believing you have a heart for me to break?"

Jareth gave Sarah a calculating stare and she wondered if she hadn't just stepped over some imaginary line in the sand. As his intense scrutiny continued she fought not to squirm under his gaze and jumped in shock when he threw his head back and laughed.

Jareth just laughed and laughed, pleased that she finally called him by his name and amazed that she would actually mock him so openly. _She would definitely be fun to keep around_, he thought to himself and debated actually not letting her go back home to her family at all.

A few moments later as their breakfast was being brought out to them Jareth calmed down and graced Sarah with a wide grin. "After breakfast we'll take a walk." His tone made it clear that he wouldn't take no for an answer and Sarah nodded her head in submission.

* * *

A temporary truce seemed to be called between the two as they walked through the castle grounds together and Sarah reflected that she rather enjoyed Jareth's company even if she wouldn't admit it to him just yet. Though his tempers were mercurial, she found that she enjoyed both matching wits with him and keeping up with his mind games. He presented a challenge to her that she found sadly lacking in most people she met and she rose eagerly to meet his challenges and in turn presented some of her own.

Days passed and Sarah and Jareth became more comfortable together, teasing and joking during their daily strolls through the garden together, and Sarah lowered her guard when Jareth didn't make any attempt to do more than hold her hand. Eventually they fell into a routine that Sarah found herself looking forward to until the morning Jareth didn't join her for breakfast.

* * *

Jareth watched through the crystal as Sarah sat down for breakfast and watched the door expectantly for his entrance. He hadn't informed her that he wouldn't be joining her this morning and wanted to monitor her reaction to see for himself if she was growing as attached to him as he hoped she was. Though he couldn't hear through the crystal, Jareth watched as a goblin came through to deliver Sarah's breakfast and saw her form the words to ask where he was. He smiled when the goblin shrugged and a play of emotions crossed Sarah's face.

Disappointment was first and was quickly followed a shake of the head, disapproval, and anger at herself, as Sarah mouthed to herself that it shouldn't matter to her anyway. Jareth continued to watch a while longer and noticed that no matter how much Sarah might try to convince herself that she didn't miss him at breakfast that morning, there was no disguising her continued, longing glances at his chair and her distinct lack of appetite this morning. She pushed her breakfast around for a short while then gave up, leaving the plate mostly untouched, and left the dining hall.

As she wandered out into the gardens, Jareth tossed the crystal away and left to meet her. He'd found out what he needed to know and decided it was time to up the stakes in the game they were playing together.

* * *

"I'm afraid I had to miss breakfast this morning," Jareth said brightly, coming up behind Sarah and taking her elbow, gracing her with a teasing smile. "I hope you didn't miss me too much."

Sarah smiled back and tried to play it off. "I wouldn't have noticed you were missing at all except for the distinct absence of our usual mental chess games."

Jareth's smile turned sly and he leaned in slightly, not enough to set Sarah's guard up but enough to make her notice him even more than usual. "Is that the only reason you wouldn't have noticed me, Sarah?"

"You never fail to try to find a way to flatter yourself, do you?" Sarah teased, unable to meet his eyes unless he saw through her.

"You're avoiding my question, Sarah," Jareth murmured, letting his hand slide down her arm to her hand. He turned her to face him, still holding her hand in his. His voice lowered to a more intimate level as he spoke again, "You're not afraid to answer, are you?"

A shiver snaked down Sarah's spine at his tone and she fought to not let him see her tremble. Pulling up as much bravado as she could, Sarah replied flippantly, "Most would take that to be a clear 'no'."

"And most would take it as such," Jareth said with laughter in his voice, his free hand coming up to wrap a stray strand of hair around his finger. "I, however, know you well enough by now to know when you're simply trying to distract me."

Sarah opened her mouth to protest, to try to defend herself without actually having to admit that she had missed him this morning, but didn't get far as Jareth closed the distance between them, cutting off any protest she could make with a kiss.

His hand tangled in her hair and the other released her hand to move to the small of her back as he pulled her closer, mentally willing her to respond to him this time. After a moment hesitation from Sarah, he got his wish as she sighed and leaned into him, kissing him back. Slowly one of her hands came up to caress the back of his neck while the other snaked between them to rest lightly on his chest. Her lips moved over his and when he bit gently on her lower lip she didn't hesitate to part her lips for him. Jareth's tongue delved in eagerly and he moaned into her mouth at his first taste of her, a moan that was quickly echoed by one of Sarah's own. Their kiss was gentle and tentatively exploring at first but quickly grew in intensity until they both broke apart, breathless and wanting more.

Jareth untangled his hand from her hair and caressed her cheek, gazing down at her with love and desire in his eyes. "I want you so much, Sarah," he whispered, voice thick with passion.

Sarah leaned into his caress, poised on the edge of giving in to him when something made her start. With a panicked look she jerked away from Jareth and started backing up slowly.

"I… I can't. I'm sorry." And she turned and fled.


	6. Chapter 6

Jareth stared after Sarah as she ran off and slowly let his hand drop back to his side. He was tempted to go after her and even started making the first few steps towards her but then he realized that he knew she wouldn't appreciate his company just yet. She would need her time to let herself get used to what just happened and the realization that she wanted it just as much as he did this time. It was getting harder and harder for Jareth to wait for her to come to him, especially when he found himself more and more attracted to her each day. Having her was going to be a much slower process than he'd originally planned, Jareth realized, but he was confident that he'd be able to have her in the end.

Jareth watched until Sarah turned a corner and then headed back inside to the throne room.

* * *

"Oh no. Oh no. What did I just do?" Sarah paced miserably through her bedroom and tried to make sense of what just happened.

_It looks like you were just passionately kissing a very responsive Goblin King_, her mind answered cheerfully, obviously pleased with the turn of events.

"I know that!" Sarah snapped irritably. "I also almost let him…" her cheeks flamed and she tried to ignore the giddy feeling she felt at the thought of doing more than just kissing Jareth.

_When will you just admit that you love him and get on with it?_ her mind sighed in frustration.

"I don't _love_ him!" Sarah hissed, glancing cautiously at the door, nervous that someone might overhear.

Her mind stayed quiet but Sarah could feel the smug doubt that was projected out at her.

"I _don't_ love him!" She said again, willing her mind to believe her. "And I'm not going to sit here arguing with myself over it!"

_Well then what do you call what you feel for him?_

Sarah paused at that and sunk down onto the window seat, confused now. _What do I feel for Jareth?_ she wondered. She turned the question over in her mind a few times before she came up with any words that she felt accurately described what she felt for him.

She realized that he intrigued her and that she genuinely liked him, despite what she may have believed about him before. She admitted to herself that she enjoyed the time she spent with him and looked forward to the games they played with each other and that she hadn't even thought of going home in the last week. It startled Sarah to realize that she'd been in the Underground for almost two weeks now and how quickly she had become adjusted to spending her days with Jareth.

_I enjoy his company and I like him, that does _not_ mean that I am in love with him_, she told herself, firmly refusing to believe the possibility could even exist.

_You're attracted to him though_, her mind taunted, refusing to be put off.

_And?_ Sarah thought irritably, a frown appearing on her face even as she blushed. _He's attractive and I'm only human. Who wouldn't be attracted to him?_

Sarah rested her forehead against the cool glass of the windowpane and unconsciously scanned the grounds below for Jareth. She felt a pleasurable squirm in her stomach when she thought she caught sight of his blonde hair and turned to watch him but was filled with disappointment when she realized it was only the way the sun caught a trellis of white roses. With a sigh Sarah rose and paced around her room.

"I'm going to have to face him sooner or later," she murmured softly. "I'm not a coward. I'm not going to run off and hide from him just because I wanted more too." She was gaining confidence as she went and her pace picked up as she walked the floor of her room. "And I certainly won't let him go off and believe I'm a coward either." She nodded firmly. "That settles it then."

Her decision made, Sarah flung open her bedroom door and started off down the hallway, intent on finding Jareth and not letting their kiss ruin her day with him.

* * *

Jareth half reclined in his throne and watched through a crystal as Sarah argued with herself. His face was a mask of indolence but his mind was reeling. _Could one little kiss really cause her that much anxiety?_ he wondered as he watched Sarah angrily tell herself that she wasn't in love with him. He tried to ignore the sting her vehemence caused him and forcefully reminded himself that he wasn't in love with her either and that she was just a conquest.

_I'm only keeping her here because she amuses me, _he told himself,_ not because I still love her._

He leaned forward almost imperceptibly as she sat down, and he watched in bemusement as confusion, contemplation, shock, irritation, embarrassment, excitement, and then disappointment crossed one after the other over her ever-expressive face.

"If only I knew what she was thinking," Jareth said softly, causing a few of the goblins cavorting closest to him to look over at him curiously.

He was about to toss the crystal away in frustration at not knowing when he noticed that Sarah was speaking again. As he watched the words form on her lips Jareth started to grin. He could barely believe that she was already coming to seek him out after having only an hour to herself and debated toying with her a bit. As he watched her fling open her door he tossed the crystal to the ceiling and disappeared into the castle intent on making her really search for him.

* * *

Sarah wandered through the castle and knocked on doors, peeking inside when there wasn't an answer, in search of Jareth. It had been fifteen minutes and she wasn't any closer to finding him than she was when she first set out except she did realize that she was now completely and utterly lost. She had tried to make a mental map in her head as she explored new corridors that she hadn't been down yet, but each time she tried to backtrack and find her way back to where she had been, she found herself in a new part of the castle. She was starting to wonder if Jareth hadn't realized she was looking for him and was playing another game with her.

She turned down another corridor and started checking the rooms there suddenly aware of Jareth's presence. Sarah spun around but she was still alone. She slowly started to smile, knowing now that Jareth was indeed playing with her.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Sarah sang softly, knowing Jareth would hear her.

She felt fingers brush her hair off the back of her neck and spun again. The room was still empty and Sarah started to back out of it. She closed the door and started walking down the hallway again. Her hand was on the doorknob to the next room when she felt his breath against her ear. She turned to face him but he'd vanished again. She quickly opened the door and walked into the room, getting a brief glimpse of him just as he vanished from the room, his laughter echoing behind him.

Sarah left the room and turned down another hallway, following his laughter, and opened the door to another room. She walked inside and looked around for him until she felt him brush against her skirt. She reached out to grab his hand as he brushed against her but he managed to slip through her fingers like sand.

"You'll need to be quicker than that if you want to catch me, Sarah," he murmured against her ear, vanishing again before she could turn.

The game continued through several more rooms and each time Jareth casually touched her or gently brushed his lips against her ear as he spoke Sarah became more excited about finding him. Her skin was tingling with awareness of him and she started deliberately hesitating before she moved just to prolong her contact with him.

_Would it really be so bad to give in to him?_ she wondered as she found herself in the hallway again. _He obviously wants me and I want him. There's no reason not to…_

Sarah absently turned the knob on the next door and walked into the room only to be greeted by darkness.

* * *

"Jareth?" Sarah asked into the darkness, uncertainty in her voice. "Jareth, are you here?"

"I'm here, Sarah," Jareth murmured into her neck, gently kissing a path from her shoulder to her earlobe.

Sarah leaned back into Jareth, tilting her head to the side in silent encouragement, sighing in pleasure when he wrapped his arms around her waist and nipped gently at her neck.

"Did you change your mind about us, Sarah?" Jareth asked softly, placing gentle little kisses along her jaw line.

"Mmhmm," Sarah answered and turned to meet his lips, slowly turning in his arms to deepen the kiss.

Jareth turned them so he had Sarah trapped against the wall and kissed her hungrily, this time allowing himself to put all the desire he felt for her into the kiss. He slowly let his hands wander from her back around to her hips and caressed her through her skirt, careful not to move too quickly and scare her off again. As the kiss turned more passionate, Jareth became aware of Sarah untangling her hands from his hair and letting them travel down his chest. Smirking a bit into the kiss he caught her hands and pinned them over her head, grinning delightedly when Sarah made a noise of protest.

"Now, now, Sarah," he started, his voice a low purr that made her press wantonly against him. "I can't allow you to rush this. Not after I've waited so long for you."

Jareth broke off on a groan as Sarah moaned his name and pressed herself against him again. He fought the urge to take her then and there and continued again after he regained his self-control. "I want this to be absolutely perfect for you. Something you'll never forget."

Jareth held Sarah tightly against him and with a thought they'd vanished and reappeared in his bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

As they reappeared in Jareth's room, Jareth released Sarah's hands and pulled her closer to him to kiss her again while he let his hands roam possessively over her back. He gently pressed his knee between her legs as he leaned them into the wall and mentally cursed the heavy skirt that kept him from moving his knee much higher. Sarah seemed to be thinking the same thing, however, and quickly reached down to tug her skirt a bit higher so he had more room.

_Finally!_ Jareth thought gleefully, letting his knee move higher to press against her, smirking into the kiss at her ragged moan, _She's mine for the taking and wants me just as much as I want her. How I have longed for this!_

He kissed a path from her mouth over her jaw and down her neck, placing gentle little kisses along the low neckline of her dress that made her shiver in delight against him. He nibbled gently at the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder and was rewarded with a low groan and Sarah pulling him closer to her. Jareth had to pause to remind himself that he wanted to move slowly and savor every moment of his victory and not simply throw her onto his bed and ravish her.

With nimble fingers, Jareth started to undo the buttons along her spine, letting his fingers glide slowly along the newly exposed skin. He thought Sarah felt like warm silk and couldn't wait to feel more of her.

Jareth took a small step back as he finished unbuttoning Sarah's dress and gave it a little tug so that it fell into a pool of dark green brocade at her feet and left her standing in nothing more than a pair of white cotton panties. He admired the way she blushed and smiled shyly at him and was determined not to chuckle when she tried to shield herself from his gaze.

"No, no, Sarah," he said huskily as he caught her hands and held them out. "Let me see you."

Sarah blushed harder but allowed Jareth to pull her hands away. He continued to look her over and was pleased to note that her blush did indeed travel far over her body. He offered her his hand and helped her step away from her dress so he could kick it to the side before leaning in to kiss her again.

"My beautiful Sarah," he murmured against her lips before reclaiming them in a bruising kiss. Sarah moved in closer and tangled her hands in his hair, kissing him back with just as much passion.

Sarah had dated since her first trip into the Labyrinth, though she'd never gone further than a bit of fumbling groping while kissing, and had a basic understanding of sex from the romance novels she'd started reading shortly after returning home. However, none of the men she'd dated were anything like Jareth and Jareth was nothing like the men in the novels she'd read. The boys she dated had all been pushy about seducing her and cared only about their own pleasure. Certainly, none of them had ever made Sarah feel beautiful and desired the way Jareth was making her feel now. And in the novels she'd read there'd always been a strained relationship where the couple hated each other until the moment they'd shared intimacy. Sarah knew her relationship with Jareth wasn't like that either. They'd grown to be friends, and while she might not completely trust him yet, she didn't think their relationship was at all strained. Instead, they were always very comfortable with each other, even when Jareth flustered her with his advances. Even now while she was so exposed to him and shyly nervous she felt safe with him and the way he looked at her made her feel that this was the way it should be between them.

"Jareth," Sarah whispered as her hands unwound from his hair and made their way down his chest, clumsily tugging his shirt from his tights and pulling it up over his head. She tossed the blouse on top of her dress and let her hands explore his chest, her eyes taking in every inch she touched.

Sarah took her time exploring him with her hands before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder. Jareth whispered something unintelligible and wrapped his arms around her again to hold her close to him. With a sudden movement he swept Sarah up into his arms, laughing warmly at her brief shriek of surprise, and carried her over to his bed and laid her down gently.

He gazed down at her lovingly and then sat on the edge of the bed to remove his boots, never taking his eyes off her. Once they were off he leaned in and ran his hands up Sarah's legs to her hips and then crawled onto the bed over her. He smiled at her before lowering his head to place a light kiss on her belly and slowly worked his way back up to her mouth, letting his lips and tongue tease her on his way up.

Jareth finally kissed Sarah again and groaned into it as she arched against him and wrapped her legs around his hips.

"I… I w-want you, Jareth," Sarah stuttered nervously after the kiss ended, and so softly that Jareth had to lean in closer to hear what she'd said.

_Gods, I love this woman,_ Jareth thought as he kissed her again. He was in the process of unwrapping her legs from around his waist so he could slip her panties off when he realized what he'd just said to himself. He gave himself a mental shake and decided that he just let himself slip. He liked Sarah and wanted her, but he reminded himself that he didn't still love her.

With that decided he started to kiss his way back down her. He took his time and had her writhing with pleasure and moaning his name over and over by the time he reached her panties. He slowly pulled them off and tossed them to the floor then leaned down to place a kiss on her thigh. He continued to kiss his way higher up her leg until he was breathing lightly against her sex.

"Jareth?" Sarah asked shakily, lifting herself up onto her elbows to look at him. She was blushing again and Jareth added this mental picture of her to the others he had accumulated. "What are you doing?"

Sarah gave a nervous little laugh when Jareth gave her a wolfish grin and her eyes widened and she bit her lip as he lowered his head again. She opened her mouth to stop him but as his tongue glided over her she fell back against the pillows and moaned instead.

_Oh, this is amazing_, Sarah thought as she fisted the sheets and arched closer to Jareth. _Who knew this would feel so perfect?_

Sarah tried to focus on what Jareth was doing to her but as he sucked, nibbled, and licked at her, her mind went blank and she could only feel the onslaught of sensation that started where Jareth's mouth touched her and radiated out to the rest of her body. As Jareth gently pressed a finger inside her, Sarah's world exploded in a shock of pleasure like she'd never felt before. As her body's spasms started to calm down Sarah vaguely became aware that she was still chanting Jareth's name and reached down to pull him to her.

Jareth let Sarah pull him up to her and worked his way out of his tights on the way up. He was surprised when Sarah leaned in and kissed him and even more turned on at the thought of Sarah tasting herself on his lips. They continued to kiss and touch each other for several minutes and Sarah's hand kept drifting down over his stomach only to stop and move back up when she came too close to touching his erection.

"You can touch me, Sarah," Jareth whispered against her ear, his voice tinted with amusement. "I promise it won't hurt you."

Sarah smiled shyly and blushed again before explaining, "I… I've just never… I don't know what to do."

Jareth put his hand over Sarah's and leisurely guided her hand down his body until her hand was wrapped around his length. As Sarah started moving her hand over him Jareth groaned and laid his head on her shoulder. He started kissing along her neck and whispering to her how beautiful and wonderful she was and how much he loved touching her and having her touch him. The more Jareth spoke to her, the more confident Sarah seemed to become and her tentative touches soon turned confident and demanding, driving Jareth closer to his own climax.

As he got closer to the edge, Jareth caught Sarah's hands and pinned them over her head again. He smiled as Sarah's wide-eyed look of bemusement and kissed her quickly. "Are you enjoying yourself, Sarah?" Jareth asked.

Sarah nodded a bit shyly, not sure if that was an appropriate answer to give, even in the position she was in.

"Let me show you even more pleasure." Jareth's voice was half-demanding and half-pleading, as if he were absolutely confident that Sarah would consent but also thought he'd die if she were to deny him.

Sarah felt almost as she had when they danced together in the ballroom so many years ago. She felt as if she couldn't deny him anything, as if placing all of her trust in him was the only natural thing to do. Only this time instead of that hazy feel of lethargy she had from eating a drugged peach, Sarah felt alive and aware of every inch of her body.

"Yes," she whispered, giving herself up to Jareth completely.

Jareth moved over her again and kissed her tenderly as he teased Sarah into readiness for him. He gently guided himself into her and whispered soothingly as Sarah started to tense up. Once she'd relaxed again Jareth pushed the rest of the way into her meeting her small gasp of pain with his own cry of pleasure. He moved slowly within her to allow her to get used to the feel of him and slowly picked up his speed as Sarah responded to him.

It didn't take long before the two lovers were moving frantically against one another, their lovemaking turning into the rough and intense coupling of two people who had denied themselves for far too long.

Afterwards they laid in the darkness of Jareth's bedroom, breathing heavily and tangled up together in a blend of limbs and blonde on dark brown. Their hands still explored each other, though languidly now, and both were reluctant to leave the embrace of the other.

"Stay with me tonight, Sarah," Jareth whispered against Sarah's ear as he idly wrapped a strand of her hair around his finger.

Sarah hesitated for a brief moment as she wondered what might be said of her if she spent the entire night with Jareth but then realized that only the goblins would know and she didn't care what they thought of her. _They'll most likely forget by lunchtime anyhow_, Sarah rationalized as she nodded her assent.

Jareth smiled into her hair and held her closer. _You'll be mine, yet, Sarah. You'll be mine._


End file.
